What's in the news?

[TheGlyphstone]

More potshots fired at the First Amendment by the Trump regime. In particular, Corey Lewandowski is suggesting that the head of The NY Times should be jailed for having published Trump's leaked tax returns from 1995: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58431e3be4b017f37fe4e8e4

More proof he's just talking out his ass, really. He'd never get that, or the flag-burning thing, or any of his other 3AM Twitter vomiting, through the current Supreme Court, let alone one with a 5-4 or 6-3 conservative lean.

[Trigon]

More proof he's just talking out his ass, really. He'd never get that, or the flag-burning thing, or any of his other 3AM Twitter vomiting, through the current Supreme Court, let alone one with a 5-4 or 6-3 conservative lean.

Not through the current one, true, but I'm going to bet that there is a good possibility that sometime in the near future Trump will nominate not just any "conservative" judges, but yes-men who will turn the Supreme Court into one of these: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/KangarooCourt


The list of people he has picked to help run his administration so far don't inspire any confidence, so there is no reason whatsoever that he won't be impartial when choosing someone for the Supreme Court as well...

[TheGlyphstone]

It's a possibility, but I don't think he'll be able to find people with that degree of personal loyalty to him. He needs conservative judges to fulfill his short-term policy promises, but those exact same judges will be the people most unlikely to back him on long-term changes - they are by definition conservative, which means resistant to significant change and outright hostile towards messing with the Bill of Rights/Constitution in general. Like that ridiculous thing where he said burning a flag would remove citizenship, no conservative judge on planet Earth would vote for that. The last time a case of that kind made it to the SC, it was an 8-1 in favor of the protestor (Alito was the dissenter, I think). And he still has to get his appointment past Congress to begin with, they're hardly going to rubberstamp any of his impulse decisions or tantrums.

Trump can say whatever he wants, and build a cabinet of his cronies and yes-men, but I really don't think it has sunk in yet that he isn't a CEO anymore. There are two other branches of government that explicitly exist to check his power and keep him from becoming a dictator, they've got 200 years of inertia and tradition backing them up, and none of them like him to begin with.

[Trigon]

Maybe no "normal" conservative (i.e. center-right or neocon ideologues) would do so, but again we aren't dealing with the normal ones anymore. The neo-fascist Stephen Bannon is listed as his chief strategist, for example. And they need not be totally loyal to Trump personally; just to the alt-right movement that he represents...


Now for some good news for a change: A large group of Black Lives Matter protesters managed to shut down a KKK parade: https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/kkk-trump-victory-rally-canceled-as-protesters-flood-streets-in-north-carolina

[Sara Nilsson]

http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/04/politics/dakota-access-pipeline/index.html

So looks like the Dakota pipeline is to be rerouted. So score one of the good guys? At least if I get the gist of the story right, which I am not sure I am since I am totally dead on my feet atm.

[Anteros]

http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/04/politics/dakota-access-pipeline/index.html

So looks like the Dakota pipeline is to be rerouted. So score one of the good guys? At least if I get the gist of the story right, which I am not sure I am since I am totally dead on my feet atm.

It's wonderful, but let's wait for DAPL's reaction.

[Anteros]

After ‘dangerous situation,’ the Associated Press pulled reporter off presidential campaign:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2016/12/02/after-dangerous-situation-the-associated-press-pulled-reporter-off-presidential-campaign/?postshare=1191480715480622&tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.cde43c0d900d

[Lustful Bride]

Some Virginia schools wish to ban "Huckleberry Finn" and "To Kill A Mockingbird."

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/why-a-virginia-school-considers-banning-two-american-classics/ar-AAl6p9B?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

I can kind of understand Huck Finn...it isn't as great as people tout it to be in my opinion...but really they wanna ban Mockingbird?

[Oniya]

Both books have come up on the 'banned from curriculum' list periodically because of their use of period vernacular.  The point that most of them miss about Huck Finn is that Jim is depicted as a far more upstanding human being than any of the white characters that Huck meets along the way.

[Anteros]

'Hero' Muslim cop, her son harassed by bigot in Brooklyn who shouted 'I will cut your throat': http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/hero-muslim-son-harassed-bigot-brooklyn-article-1.2897687

   

[Lustful Bride]

Army denies Dakota pipeline permit.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/army-denies-dakota-pipeline-permit-in-victory-for-native-tribes/ar-AAl8q1t?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

I am pleased to hear this.

[Anteros]

Fake news story led gunman to popular DC pizzeria: https://apnews.com/ad5da4daf1e14f3ab4ccb69c4c046fc1/Police:-Fake-news-story-led-gunman-to-popular-DC-pizzeria?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP
How The Bizarre Conspiracy Theory Behind “Pizzagate” Was Spread: https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/fever-swamp-election?utm_term=.kbQoNK57R#.kgPPdY8DO

Student booted from school after making license ‘to hunt black people’: http://nypost.com/2016/12/03/student-booted-from-school-after-making-license-to-hunt-black-people/

[Beorning]

So... it seems that Bernardo Bertolucci and Marlon Brando basically raped an actress for the purpose of filming a movie scene:

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/12/04/last-tango-in-paris-butter-rape-scene-not-consensual_n_13412802.html

Ugh.

[Lustful Bride]

Japanese PM, Abe, shall be visiting Pearl Harbor on its anniversary, the first ever to do so.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/abe-to-make-first-pearl-harbor-visit-by-japan-leader/ar-AAl9vUm?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

[Sara Nilsson]

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/5/1607591/-Veterans-at-Standing-Rock-shock-tribe-members-beg-forgiveness-for-war-crimes-against-tribal-nations?detail=facebook

US veterans begs the tribal members for forgiveness and the tribe in returns asks for forgiveness for any hurt they caused. *wipes a tear* it is nice to see people come together under such circumstances and reconcile old wounds :)

[Anteros]

So, a bit of an info dump:

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

French pole dancers cause uproar at Brest Christmas market: http://www.thelocal.fr/20161205/pole-dancers-cause-outrage-at-french-christmas-market?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Twitter&utm_term=Autofeed#link_time=1480979110

Joe McKnight’s killer went free in an area with the highest arrest rate in the country: https://thinkprogress.org/joe-mcknight-shooter-arrest-louisiana-d2add4c24914#.eavv7gnc0

Ku Klux Klan Members Drive Through North Carolina Town To Hail Trump Victory: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-kkk-parade-north-carolina_us_5844eb97e4b017f37fe5591c?

Mistrial in Case of South Carolina Officer Who Shot Walter Scott: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/us/walter-scott-michael-slager-north-charleston.html

Dakota Access ‘fully committed’ to completing pipeline using current route: http://m.bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/dakota-access-fully-committed-to-completing-pipeline-using-current-route/article_b0f3a9e5-4899-5ba6-8e2f-ed1627ddfd86.html

Trump advisors aim to privatize oil-rich Indian reservations: http://mobile.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSKBN13U1B1

Judge Rules That Bill Cosby's 2005 Admission That He Drugged Women Can Be Used in His Criminal Trial: http://jezebel.com/judge-rules-that-bill-cosbys-2005-admission-that-he-dru-1789704343?utm_campaign=socialfow_jezebel_twitter&utm_source=jezebel_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

Police investigate hate crime after man ties noose, threatens two Muslim women: http://edmontonjournal.com/news/crime/police-investigate-hate-crime-after-man-ties-noose-threatens-two-muslim-women

UN expert says Australians (and their leaders) have a big racism problem: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/un-expert-says-australians-and-their-leaders-have-a-big-racism-problem-20161205-gt481p.html

Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter And YouTube Team UP To Target Terrorist Content: https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexkantrowitz/facebook-microsoft-twitter-and-youtube-team-to-target-terror?utm_term=.ty3rygk9X#.lajnXrRpW

[TheGlyphstone]

A town called 'Brest' had some unauthorized pole dancers?

[TheGlyphstone]

Amazon has built and is now testing an almost completely automated grocery store in Seattle with no checkout lines or cashiers. Just tons of cameras and sensors to detect what you put in your cart, then charge the lot to your Amazon account. This is either amazing or incredibly creepy.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/12/5/13842592/amazon-go-new-cashier-less-convenience-store

[Lustful Bride]

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/5/1607591/-Veterans-at-Standing-Rock-shock-tribe-members-beg-forgiveness-for-war-crimes-against-tribal-nations?detail=facebook

US veterans begs the tribal members for forgiveness and the tribe in returns asks for forgiveness for any hurt they caused. *wipes a tear* it is nice to see people come together under such circumstances and reconcile old wounds :)

While I like the gesture, it should really be the government asking the tribes for forgiveness, not the vets. :/ None of them committed the atrocities against their people. But, again I like that there is a dialogue opening up, and we can all heal and move together as One, United, America.

[Beguile's Mistress]

'Hero' Muslim cop, her son harassed by bigot in Brooklyn who shouted 'I will cut your throat': http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/hero-muslim-son-harassed-bigot-brooklyn-article-1.2897687 

From the article: 

Saturday’s incident became the latest in a growing list of bias crimes across the city since Trump’s election.

On Thursday night, three drunk white men repeatedly screamed “Donald Trump!” and hurled anti-Islam slurs at Baruch College student waiting for a No. 6 train at 23rd St. and Park Ave.

No arrests have been made in that case.

Cops said from Nov. 8 through Nov. 27, there were 34 reported incidents compared to 13 in the same period in 2015.

[Cassandra LeMay]

While he hasn't firmly committed to anything yet, Joe Biden says he may well run for President in 2020.

[Trigon]

Let's hope that he makes it to 2020 (he's 74 now...)

And now, in the spirit of continuing to violate the Constituiton and laying the groundwork for dictatorial rule, the Trump regime is now building the Gestapo "Special Deportation Squad": https://thinkprogress.org/the-gops-unconstitutional-plan-to-conscript-local-police-into-trump-s-deportation-squads-18c782f1fafc#.pzbzvf3a0

[Cassandra LeMay]

And now, in the spirit of continuing to violate the Constituiton and laying the groundwork for dictatorial rule, the Trump regime is now building the Gestapo "Special Deportation Squad": https://thinkprogress.org/the-gops-unconstitutional-plan-to-conscript-local-police-into-trump-s-deportation-squads-18c782f1fafc#.pzbzvf3a0

Politifact looked into the question of the Federal Government cutting funding for "sanctuary cities" not long ago: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/dec/01/bill-de-blasio/new-york-city-mayor-says-president-cant-defund-san/

What I take away from that is that it won't be easy by any means to defund "sanctuary cities" while staying within the limits the Supreme Court set in South Dakota vs. Dole.

[Trigon]

Politifact looked into the question of the Federal Government cutting funding for "sanctuary cities" not long ago: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/dec/01/bill-de-blasio/new-york-city-mayor-says-president-cant-defund-san/

What I take away from that is that it won't be easy by any means to defund "sanctuary cities" while staying within the limits the Supreme Court set in South Dakota vs. Dole.

I don't believe that we should be so optimistic and hope that the courts can protect us for much longer; keep in mind that they also let Citizens United pass, and it wont be long before the Supreme Court turns into the Kangaroo Court once Trump is at the helm. The government of the people, by the people, and for the people is now no more, I'm afraid, having now effectively repealed itself...

[Mithlomwen]

A Republican presidential elector, one of the 538 people asked to choose officially the president of the United States says he will not cast his electoral vote for Trump.